Chapter 7: In Come Another
Khariya tried to walk as fast as she could to the stairs.
"Why are the stairs so far away?" Khariya muttered to herself. In her thoughts, she didn't notice another man in front of her. Before he realized that he wasn't looking himself, she crashed into him almost falling but he suddenly gripped her shoulders and pushed her onto him.
"Uh. Hello," the man said surprised. Khariya was about to frown but figured that the guest didn't deserve to be in the line of fire.
"Hello. Who are you?" she smiled. She had to admit he was actually very handsome. Him and his tousled brown hair and green eyes.
"Marco Alteri. From Spica." He grinned and realized that he still had her pressed to him. He let her step back but only to just let his hand travel to her hand and kiss it. "And whom do I have the pleasure of bumping into in this beautiful day?"
"I kind of wouldn't call this a beautiful day." she muttered.
"Compared to you maybe." Marco flirted. Anakin stepped into the grand foyer seeing Khariya's hand being held by the stranger. He also noticed that she was blushing furiously and seemed to forget everything around her. For a second he felt jealousy.
"She's supposed to be that way with me. Not with this loser," he thought, infuriated. He then shook his head and stomped his way toward the two.
"Khariya, I need to talk to you," he called behind her but her attention was fully onto the stranger's eyes. He probed Khariya's mind trying to get a bit of her thought to him. What he read made him widen his eyes in surprise.
"Goodness this man's cute. But wait I'm in love with Anakin. Wait, Anakin? Who's Anakin? The guy that just blew you off for your sister? You're really in love with him when a perfectly handsome man whose attention is all to you and nobody else's? Think about that Khariya," she thought arguing with herself but her thought subsided again and went back to the man holding her hand.
"I'm Khariya Naberrie, the youngest daughter of Ruwee and Jobal Naberrie," she said in her formal voice but with her smile the tone almost became somewhat playful and Anakin was furious by the fact that he wasn't the object of its want.
"What am I thinking? I couldn't possibly be thinking about Khariya this way." he thought.
"Pleasure to meet you, m'lady," Marco replied. Anakin half thought that Khariya would laugh when the man said m'lady but her smile just softened more and her eyes grew more intense as he stared into his. Anakin finally had enough of it.
"You will do to what you came to do in Naboo," Anakin said with a subtle twist of his hand.
"I will do what I've come to do in Naboo," Marco said in a dull voice. He dropped the surprised Khariya's hand and walked away toward the Conference Chambers.
"Anakin Skywalker," Khariya hissed. "What in Sithspit do you think you're doing?"
"Watch your language and what do you think YOU are doing?" Anakin glared, grabbing a hold of her arm. Khariya tried to twist it away but knew it was a vain attempt against the Chosen One.
"I am doing what every normal eighteen year old girl does: FLIRT!" she snapped, still trying to twist away her arm. "Now let go!"
"You know I won't let you go so stop trying Khariya," he answered. "And you were not flirting. You were throwing yourself at that stranger. And he looked ready to just slam you onto the nearest table because YOU looked like you'd let him."
"Please, Jedi. You might not be able to get the one you're attracted to think of you that way but don't let me suffer from it when I can," she cried out. Khariya couldn't believe that the comment actually came out of her mouth and it surprised her that she didn't want to take it back. Anakin couldn't either and it triggered the largest surge of anger in him. In a blink of an eye, his hand swept across Khariya's face leaving an inevitable red print. With all of her strength she bent her arm away and finally released her hand from his grip. Her chest was breathing up and down and Anakin thought that had she the power to kill with looks he'd be beyond dead. "Congratulations, Jedi. You've now hurt me in everyway possible." She grabbed a knife and stuck it to his hand. "I feel like dying again because of you and you have come to the closest to putting a knife to my throat without actually doing so." She put the knife blade to her neck with Anakin holding the handle. "Would you like to do the honors?" Anakin was too startled that he hit her that he only let her guide his hands to her neck. Once he actually grew aware of what she was doing he paled fainted. Unfortunately, so did Padmè.
"Anakin!" Padmè shrieked running to Khariya's side. She pushed Anakin back and started to examine her face. "Khariya, your cheek is bruised. and the knife nicked you." She turned malevolently to Anakin. "What have you been doing to my sister?!? Are you why she's been acting diffrently these last few days? Have you been hurting because I swear before you now if you've been hurting her I will use all the power vested in me to kill you myself with my bare hands." Padmè was so livid that Anakin was actually afraid. Both of thses sisters had the glares that could blow away all of the universe. All they needed was Sola and they could probably rule the Universe together. Khariya, knowing of Padmè's rage, came reluctantly to Anakin's rescue.
"Come, Padmè," Khariya said softly leading Padmè away to the bed chambers upstairs.
"What has he been doing to you Khariya?" Padmè demanded once in Padmè's room.
"Padmè." Khariya started. "I wish I could say. There's too much going on at the moment. I can't tell you until it's over. I'm sorry." Padmè looked hurt that Khariya wouldn't tell her the circumstances between her and Anakin.
"Why not?"
"Because it's not yet over. When it is, then, I'll be here to tell you but now. I have to go back home."
"But why? Has he hurt you?" Khariya touched her purple cheek and nodded silently.
"Just not the way you think," she answered softly. "Please, don't try to retaliate. It's not your place to do so. Just please, Padmè let me leave. It was a mistake for me to have come. Complications were inevitable." Khariya turned to leave for her room and Padmè didn't know what to say to stop her. She didn't even know what was going on.
"Stay one more night? Please?" Padmè resuested. "For me? We'll spend today together. Just us. We'll go over to the island. No meetings. Nothing."
"How about Anakin? Won't he be coming with us for you?" Khariya asked.
"He'll stay behind us. He'll watch us but keep away at the same time, okay?" Khariya nodded.
"We'll go."
"It'll take about half an hour to cancel everything all right?" Padmè asked her younger sister. Khariya nodded again. Finally Khariya made it out to the door way but was stopped by Anakin this time safely putting his arms around her waist and pushing her to his chest. It was the only way not to hurt her again.
"Khariya, are you all right?" Anakin asked softly touching her cheek. Khariya was too tired already to push against him but she noticed how close his face was to hers.
"Anakin, let me go," she whispered softly, using all her self-control to not give in to soft touch.
"Not until you tell me you're all right and that you forgive me for hurting you," Anakin replied.
"I'm all right and I forgive you but nw I have to pack," Khariya said untangling herself from Anakin's hands.
"Pack? Why?" Anakin asked surprised.
"I have to leave. I feel like I'm in more danger in being hurt here than in the hands of Sith Lords. I'm going back to the palace and I'll stay there. Leave you and Padmè alone. I leave tomorrow," Khariya answered. She walked back to her room but Anakin followed her in.
"What if I tell you that I might have fallen in love with the wrong Naberrie?" Anakin prodded.
"Then, I'd say you were too late and that Sola is already married with two daughters."
"You know what I mean Khariya."
"You're only saying that because I let you sleep peacefully last night and that you're flattered that I shared Holo with you." Anakin, angry that she wouldn't take him seriously, grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her roughly. Khariya was taken by surprise and for a moment responded to the slant of his mouth and the feel of his tongue but she pushed him away.
"Khari."
"No Anakin. Don't try to fool yourself. You're in love with Padmè Amidala Naberrie. Not Danè Khariya Naberrie. Get it right." She stepped away from him and opened his path to the door. "Now please leave. I have to pack and get ready for my day with Padmè." Khariya stood before him stone faced, standing up to the pained look on Anakin's face.
"Listen to me," he stuttered.
"I did that last night," she snapped.
"No one has actually got me to admit I was wrong. No one in this world. Not Palapatine, Not Qui Gon, Not Obi Wan, Not even Yoda. My pride is my weakness, Khariya. If that has to be torn down for me to get to you then so be it," Anakin said fiercely standing over her again.
"Go," she hissed, pointing his way out and staring into his hard blue eyes. Oh goodness. His eyes. Don't let me give in, my Maker. Please not now. Khariya felt her knees start to buckle as his intense stare bore into hers. That's it! His eyes are much too powerful, she thought as she was about to collapse onto him but he looked away and started to stomp down the halls to the training room. Khariya crumpled to the floor, in exhaustion. No more. I can't take this anymore.
Khariya tried to walk as fast as she could to the stairs.
"Why are the stairs so far away?" Khariya muttered to herself. In her thoughts, she didn't notice another man in front of her. Before he realized that he wasn't looking himself, she crashed into him almost falling but he suddenly gripped her shoulders and pushed her onto him.
"Uh. Hello," the man said surprised. Khariya was about to frown but figured that the guest didn't deserve to be in the line of fire.
"Hello. Who are you?" she smiled. She had to admit he was actually very handsome. Him and his tousled brown hair and green eyes.
"Marco Alteri. From Spica." He grinned and realized that he still had her pressed to him. He let her step back but only to just let his hand travel to her hand and kiss it. "And whom do I have the pleasure of bumping into in this beautiful day?"
"I kind of wouldn't call this a beautiful day." she muttered.
"Compared to you maybe." Marco flirted. Anakin stepped into the grand foyer seeing Khariya's hand being held by the stranger. He also noticed that she was blushing furiously and seemed to forget everything around her. For a second he felt jealousy.
"She's supposed to be that way with me. Not with this loser," he thought, infuriated. He then shook his head and stomped his way toward the two.
"Khariya, I need to talk to you," he called behind her but her attention was fully onto the stranger's eyes. He probed Khariya's mind trying to get a bit of her thought to him. What he read made him widen his eyes in surprise.
"Goodness this man's cute. But wait I'm in love with Anakin. Wait, Anakin? Who's Anakin? The guy that just blew you off for your sister? You're really in love with him when a perfectly handsome man whose attention is all to you and nobody else's? Think about that Khariya," she thought arguing with herself but her thought subsided again and went back to the man holding her hand.
"I'm Khariya Naberrie, the youngest daughter of Ruwee and Jobal Naberrie," she said in her formal voice but with her smile the tone almost became somewhat playful and Anakin was furious by the fact that he wasn't the object of its want.
"What am I thinking? I couldn't possibly be thinking about Khariya this way." he thought.
"Pleasure to meet you, m'lady," Marco replied. Anakin half thought that Khariya would laugh when the man said m'lady but her smile just softened more and her eyes grew more intense as he stared into his. Anakin finally had enough of it.
"You will do to what you came to do in Naboo," Anakin said with a subtle twist of his hand.
"I will do what I've come to do in Naboo," Marco said in a dull voice. He dropped the surprised Khariya's hand and walked away toward the Conference Chambers.
"Anakin Skywalker," Khariya hissed. "What in Sithspit do you think you're doing?"
"Watch your language and what do you think YOU are doing?" Anakin glared, grabbing a hold of her arm. Khariya tried to twist it away but knew it was a vain attempt against the Chosen One.
"I am doing what every normal eighteen year old girl does: FLIRT!" she snapped, still trying to twist away her arm. "Now let go!"
"You know I won't let you go so stop trying Khariya," he answered. "And you were not flirting. You were throwing yourself at that stranger. And he looked ready to just slam you onto the nearest table because YOU looked like you'd let him."
"Please, Jedi. You might not be able to get the one you're attracted to think of you that way but don't let me suffer from it when I can," she cried out. Khariya couldn't believe that the comment actually came out of her mouth and it surprised her that she didn't want to take it back. Anakin couldn't either and it triggered the largest surge of anger in him. In a blink of an eye, his hand swept across Khariya's face leaving an inevitable red print. With all of her strength she bent her arm away and finally released her hand from his grip. Her chest was breathing up and down and Anakin thought that had she the power to kill with looks he'd be beyond dead. "Congratulations, Jedi. You've now hurt me in everyway possible." She grabbed a knife and stuck it to his hand. "I feel like dying again because of you and you have come to the closest to putting a knife to my throat without actually doing so." She put the knife blade to her neck with Anakin holding the handle. "Would you like to do the honors?" Anakin was too startled that he hit her that he only let her guide his hands to her neck. Once he actually grew aware of what she was doing he paled fainted. Unfortunately, so did Padmè.
"Anakin!" Padmè shrieked running to Khariya's side. She pushed Anakin back and started to examine her face. "Khariya, your cheek is bruised. and the knife nicked you." She turned malevolently to Anakin. "What have you been doing to my sister?!? Are you why she's been acting diffrently these last few days? Have you been hurting because I swear before you now if you've been hurting her I will use all the power vested in me to kill you myself with my bare hands." Padmè was so livid that Anakin was actually afraid. Both of thses sisters had the glares that could blow away all of the universe. All they needed was Sola and they could probably rule the Universe together. Khariya, knowing of Padmè's rage, came reluctantly to Anakin's rescue.
"Come, Padmè," Khariya said softly leading Padmè away to the bed chambers upstairs.
"What has he been doing to you Khariya?" Padmè demanded once in Padmè's room.
"Padmè." Khariya started. "I wish I could say. There's too much going on at the moment. I can't tell you until it's over. I'm sorry." Padmè looked hurt that Khariya wouldn't tell her the circumstances between her and Anakin.
"Why not?"
"Because it's not yet over. When it is, then, I'll be here to tell you but now. I have to go back home."
"But why? Has he hurt you?" Khariya touched her purple cheek and nodded silently.
"Just not the way you think," she answered softly. "Please, don't try to retaliate. It's not your place to do so. Just please, Padmè let me leave. It was a mistake for me to have come. Complications were inevitable." Khariya turned to leave for her room and Padmè didn't know what to say to stop her. She didn't even know what was going on.
"Stay one more night? Please?" Padmè resuested. "For me? We'll spend today together. Just us. We'll go over to the island. No meetings. Nothing."
"How about Anakin? Won't he be coming with us for you?" Khariya asked.
"He'll stay behind us. He'll watch us but keep away at the same time, okay?" Khariya nodded.
"We'll go."
"It'll take about half an hour to cancel everything all right?" Padmè asked her younger sister. Khariya nodded again. Finally Khariya made it out to the door way but was stopped by Anakin this time safely putting his arms around her waist and pushing her to his chest. It was the only way not to hurt her again.
"Khariya, are you all right?" Anakin asked softly touching her cheek. Khariya was too tired already to push against him but she noticed how close his face was to hers.
"Anakin, let me go," she whispered softly, using all her self-control to not give in to soft touch.
"Not until you tell me you're all right and that you forgive me for hurting you," Anakin replied.
"I'm all right and I forgive you but nw I have to pack," Khariya said untangling herself from Anakin's hands.
"Pack? Why?" Anakin asked surprised.
"I have to leave. I feel like I'm in more danger in being hurt here than in the hands of Sith Lords. I'm going back to the palace and I'll stay there. Leave you and Padmè alone. I leave tomorrow," Khariya answered. She walked back to her room but Anakin followed her in.
"What if I tell you that I might have fallen in love with the wrong Naberrie?" Anakin prodded.
"Then, I'd say you were too late and that Sola is already married with two daughters."
"You know what I mean Khariya."
"You're only saying that because I let you sleep peacefully last night and that you're flattered that I shared Holo with you." Anakin, angry that she wouldn't take him seriously, grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her roughly. Khariya was taken by surprise and for a moment responded to the slant of his mouth and the feel of his tongue but she pushed him away.
"Khari."
"No Anakin. Don't try to fool yourself. You're in love with Padmè Amidala Naberrie. Not Danè Khariya Naberrie. Get it right." She stepped away from him and opened his path to the door. "Now please leave. I have to pack and get ready for my day with Padmè." Khariya stood before him stone faced, standing up to the pained look on Anakin's face.
"Listen to me," he stuttered.
"I did that last night," she snapped.
"No one has actually got me to admit I was wrong. No one in this world. Not Palapatine, Not Qui Gon, Not Obi Wan, Not even Yoda. My pride is my weakness, Khariya. If that has to be torn down for me to get to you then so be it," Anakin said fiercely standing over her again.
"Go," she hissed, pointing his way out and staring into his hard blue eyes. Oh goodness. His eyes. Don't let me give in, my Maker. Please not now. Khariya felt her knees start to buckle as his intense stare bore into hers. That's it! His eyes are much too powerful, she thought as she was about to collapse onto him but he looked away and started to stomp down the halls to the training room. Khariya crumpled to the floor, in exhaustion. No more. I can't take this anymore.
